Drugs of Abuse Flashcards
What is abstinence syndrome?
- The signs and symptoms that occur on withdrawal of a drug in a dependent person
What is addiciton?
- Compulsive drug-using behavior in which the person uses the drug for personal satisfaction, often in the face of known risks to health; formerly termed psychological dependence
What is a controlled substance?
- A drug deemed to have abuse liability that is listed on governmental schedules of controlled substances. Such schedules categorize illicit drugs, control prescribing practices, and mandate penalties for illegal possession, manufacture, and sale of listed drugs
What is dependence?
- A state characterized by signs and symptoms, frequently the opposite of those caused by a drug, when it is withdrawn from chronic use or when the dose is abruptly lowered; formerly termed physical or physiologic dependence
What is a designer drug?
- Synthetic derivative of a drug, with slightly modified structure but no major change in pharmacodynamic action.
What is tolerance?
- A decreased response to a drug, necessitating larger doses to achieve the same effect
What is withdrawal?
- Adaptive changes that become fully apparent once drug exposure is terminated
- Withdrawal is the evidence of physical dependence
What is sensitization?
- An increase in response with repetition of the same dose of the drug
What is the duration of symptoms of alcohol?
- App. 1 hour per each serving
What are some other symptoms of alcohol?
- Odor on breath
- Slurred speech
- Lack of coordination
What is the duration of symptoms of tobacco?
- 20 minutes
What are some other symptoms of tobacco?
- Odor on breath or clothes
- Stained fingers or teeth
What is the duration of symptoms of marijuana?
- 2-4 hours
What are some other symptoms of marijuana?
- Red eyes
- Odor on breath or clothes
- Eyelid tremors
- Muscle tremors
- Increased appetite
What is the duration of symptoms of inhalants?
- 5 minutes to 8 hours
What are some other symptoms of inhalants?
- Odor or residue on mouth or clothes
- Nausea
- Headache
- Disoriented
What is the duration of symptoms of stimulants?
- 5 minutes to 12 hours
What are some other symptoms of stimulants?
- Jittery
- Talkative
- Runny nose or dry mouth
What is the duration of symptoms of depressants?
- 1 to 16 hours
What are some other symptoms of depressants?
- Disoriented
- Drowsy
- Uncoordinated
- Slow, slurred speech
What is the duration of symptoms of hallucinogens?
- 5 minutes to 12 hours
What are some other symptoms of hallucinogens?
- Spacey
- Hallucinations
- Paranoia
- Memory loss
- Uncoordinated
What is the duration of symptoms of narcotics?
- 4 to 24 hours
What are some other symptoms of narcotics?
- Sleepiness
- Droopy eyelids
- Soft, low voice
- Euphoria
What is the duration of symptoms of PCP?
- 4 to 6 hours
What are some other symptoms of PCP?
- Confused
- Aggressive
- Sweaty
- Repetitive
What are the most commonly abused prescription drugs?
- Painkillers
- Depressants
- Stimulants
What are some signs of overdose with amphetamines, methylphenidate, and cocaine?
- Agitation
- HTN
- Tachycardia
- Delusions
- Hallucinations
- Hyperthermia
- Seizures
- Death
What are some withdrawal symptoms of amphetamines, methylphenidate, and cocaine?
- Apathy
- Irritability
- Increased sleep time
- Disorientation
- Depression
What are some signs of overdose with barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and ethanol?
- Slurred speech
- Drunken behavior
- Dilated pupils
- Weak and rapid pulse
- Clammy skin
- Shallow respiration
- Coma
- Death
What are some withdrawal symptoms of barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and ethanol?
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Delirium
- Tremors
- Seizures
- Death
What are some signs of overdose with heroin or other strong opioids?
- Constricted pupils
- Clammy skin
- Nausea
- Drowsiness
- Respiratory depression
- Coma
- Death
What are some drugs that are abused that are not necessarily addictive?
- LSD
- Mescaline
- Psilocybin
- Phencyclidine
- Ketamine
What is a long term effect of PCP?
- May lead to irreversible schizophrenia-like psychosis
What can LSD cause?
- Flashbacks of altered perception years after consumption
What is caffeine?
- A chemical found in coffee, tea, cola, guarana, and other products
What is caffeine most used for?
- Used to improve mental alertness
How can caffeine be used?
- By mouth or rectally in combo with painkillers and a chemical (ergotamine) for migraines
- Also used for simple headaches and treating headaches after epidural anesthesia
What do people use caffeine by mouth for?
- Asthma
- ADHD
- Memory
What is the metabolism of alcohol?
- Ethanol undergoes extensive first-pass metabolism by gastric and liver alcohol dehydrogenase
What is the typical metabolism of alcohol in people?
- Average male can metabolize 7-10 grams of alcohol per hour, which is equivalent to approximately one drink
What is done is acute alcohol intoxication?
- Monitor respiratory depression and aspiration of vomitus
- Glucose can treat metabolic alterations such as hypoglycemia and ketosis
- Thiamine to protect against Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
What is acute withdrawal syndrome?
- Can be life threatening
- Major pharmacological objective is to prevent seizures, delirium, and arrhythmias, electrolyte rebalancing, thiamine therapy
- Benzodiazepines
What is alcohol dependence?
- Psychosocial therapy serves as the primary treatment for alcohol dependence
- Often depression or anxiety disorders coexist with alcoholism and therapeutic intervention for these other psychiatric problems decreases the rate of relapse
What are some drugs for the treatment of acute alcohol withdrawal syndrome?
- Diazepam
- Lorazepam
- Oxazepam
- Thiamine
What are some drugs used for the prevention of alcohol abuse?
- Acamprosate
- Disulfiram
- Naltrexone
What are some drugs used for the treatment of acute methanol or ethylene glycol poisoning?
- Ethanol
- Fomepizole
What is Naltrexone?
- Approved for the treatment of alcohol and opiate dependence
What is the MOA of naltrexone?
- Mu opioid receptor antagonist
What does naltrexone do?
- Reduces the craving for alcohol and the rate of relapse to either drinking or alcohol dependence for the short term
What must be done before starting naltrexone?
- Individuals physically dependent on alcohol and opioids must be opioid free before initiating therapy because naltrexone precipitates an acute withdrawal syndrome
What is the MOA of acamprosate?
- Weak NMDA-receptor antagonist and GABA-A receptor agonist
What does acamprosate do?
- Reduces short term and long term relapse rates
What is the MOA of disulfiram?
- Irreversibly inhibits aldehyde dehydrogenase and causes extreme discomfort in patients who drink alcoholic beverages
What should not be given to patients on disulfiram?
- Should not be given with any meds that contain alcohol
